A Labour Market Impact Assessment is a document that is required by the Canadian government to ensure that the hiring of a foreign worker will not negatively impact the Canadian labour market. In order to obtain an LMIA, employers must demonstrate that they have made efforts to recruit Canadian citizens or permanent residents before seeking to hire a foreign worker.

The LMIA process involves several steps; including submitting an application to the Canadian government, providing detailed information about the job being offered, and paying a processing fee. The government will then assess the application and determine whether there are Canadian citizens or permanent residents available to perform the job. If not, the employer may be granted an LMIA, which will allow them to hire a foreign worker to fill the position.

There are certain categories of workers, who are exempt from the LMIA requirement, including –

• Workers who are covered under international trade agreements
• Spouses or common-law partners of foreign workers who hold a work permit
• Workers who are part of an international exchange program
• Certain types of intra-company transferees